Written Answers Friday 22 December 2006

Scottish Executive

Police

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing establishment and structure will be of the fingerprint departments in the Scottish Police Services Authority from 1 April 2007.

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what the job roles and responsibilities will be of all positions in the fingerprint departments in the Scottish Police Services Authority from 1 April 2007.

Cathy Jamieson: That will be a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority when it is created.

Property

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4928 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 June 2000, whether it will publish a list of disposals of property or land at less than full market value which were (a) agreed and (b) refused since June 2000.

Mr Tom McCabe: Further to the answer to question S1W-4928 answered on 9 June 2000, a list of disposals of property or land at less than full market value which were (a) agreed and (b) refused between June 2000 and 31 January 2006 is not available centrally. Information for the period February to November 2006 is attached as follows.

  Details of Requests Received from Local Authorities for Land/Property Disposals at Less than Best Price February – November 2006

  

 Name of Council
 Number of Requests Received
 Number of Requests Approved
 Number of Requests Awaiting Further Information


 Aberdeen City
 2
 2
 0


 Aberdeenshire
 1
 0
 1


 Angus
 2
 2
 0


 Argyll and Bute 
 5
 5
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 1
 1
 0


 Dumfries and Galloway
 4
 4
 0


 Dundee City
 7
 7
 0


 East Ayrshire
 8
 7
 1


 East Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 East Lothian 
 1
 1
 0


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 0
 0


 Edinburgh City
 7
 7
 0


 Falkirk
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 7
 7
 0


 Glasgow City
 3
 2
 1


 Highland
 15
 14
 1


 Inverclyde
 0
 0
 0


 Midlothian
 0
 0
 0


 Moray
 3
 3
 0


 North Ayrshire
 1
 1
 0


 North Lanarkshire
 4
 3
 1


 Orkney Islands
 1
 0
 1


 Perth and Kinross
 4
 4
 0


 Renfrewshire
 6
 6
 0


 Scottish Borders
 0
 0
 0


 Shetland Islands
 0
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 1
 1
 0


 South Lanarkshire
 4
 4
 0


 Stirling
 4
 4
 0


 West Dunbartonshire
 6
 5
 1


 Western Isles
 4
 4
 0


 West Lothian
 1
 1
 0


 Total
 102
 95
 7



  No applications for land/property disposal have been refused during this period, however, 7 applications are currently outstanding whilst further information is sought from the appropriate local authority.

Public Private Partnerships

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) total and (b) individual capital value is of public sector PFI/PPP projects currently being paid for, also broken down by NHS board, local authority or other body that authorised such projects.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is available from the Scottish Executive Financial Partnerships Unit’s website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/ppp.

  An estimate of the total capital value of PPP projects that are either operational or have reached financial close is available from the facts and figures report, and an estimate of the individual capital value of PPP projects that are either operational or have reached financial close is available from the done deals report.

Scottish Executive Buildings

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) main items of expenditure and (b) total costs were in respect of the operation, maintenance, rent, upgrade and any other associated costs of Bute House, the official residence for the First Minister, in each of the last five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: (a) The main Items of expenditure, treated as those in excess of £20,000, were:

  2001-02

  Decoration of entrance hall, stair and cupola; £20,710

  2002-03

  Installation of new external lift allowing disabled access: £57,378

  2004-05

  Enhanced CCTV coverage: £30,000

  2005-20

  Full refurbishment of second and third floor bathrooms: £30,387

  (b) The total amounts paid in each year are given in the following table.

  

 Year
 Maintenance/New Works
 Running Costs
 Total Expenditure


 2001-02
£109,000
£29,200
£138,200


 2002-03
£140,800
£28,400
£169,200


 2003-04
£82,000
£31,400
£113,400


 2004-05
£51,400
£30,600
£82,000


 2005-06
£75,500
£35,500
£111,000



  In addition, we expect this year to pay backdated rent in respect of 2005-06 once the new agreement for the use of Bute House has been concluded. Business rates are included in running costs and the Assessor, Lothian Valuation Joint Board has recently confirmed that there is no element of residential accommodation within Bute House that will attract a council tax charge.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to improve Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland in line with the UK Government’s plans to create an independent board to enhance confidence in government statistics, as announced in the Queen’s Speech.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the question S2W-30426 answered on 21 December 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland is based on the latest available, official fiscal data. The estimates for government expenditure and revenues are produced using methodological best practice which is subject to on-going review.